Comparison among active and passive samplers for monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

In this paper we report the result of our research aimed to verify the appl icability of the biological passive sampling for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the atmosphere in substitution to the particulate matter sampling. The work concerned 11 sites selected in urban area of Cat ania, a town situated on the east coast of the Sicily, where the samples of particulate matter and pine needles have been collected. The PAH concentra tions of the needles were referred to fresh and dry weight, to lipids conte nt and superficial area. The PAH profiles were different for each matrix an d we showed that the passive sampler can be a substitute of the particulate matter sampling for medium molecular weight PAH.